Remote tallying



July 2l, 1942. v MQ KECKLEY 2,290,753A

REMOTE 4TALLYI N G Filed June 26,'1939 2 sheets-sheet 1 July 2l, 1942. H. M. KECKLEY REMOTE TALLYING Filed June 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 21, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REMOTE TALLYING Harold M. Keckley, Fort Jennings, Ohio Application June 26, 1939, Serial No. 281,069

3 Claims.

This invention relates to ascertaining various remote conditions and reports, say as to the position of the recording elements in a meter or the extent to which a meter has been operated to show consumption.

This invention has utility when incorporated in a central office or central station adapted for selective reading of meters, say electric meters and billing therefor.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation, with parts broken away, of a device for reporting the tally or reading condition of the meter;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line IIII, Fig. 1, showing features of the tally reporting or reporteiecting mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a View on the line III-III, Fig. l, showing in plan features of this tally reporting device;

Fig. 4 is a view on the line l'V-IV, Fig. 1, of the tape supply reel for this tally recording means;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V, Fig. 1, showing mechanism in connection with controls for locating the totalized readings of this tally device;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line VI-VI, Fig. 3, but showing the tally device in operating position;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line VII-VII, Fig. 1, showing the meter actuated wheel mounting for operating the tally sheet; and

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram showing the features of the inter-related electric control.

In accordance with the invention herein, at various remote stations, meters I may be located, from the housing of which may extend shaft 2. In the instance the meter be an electric meter, thisy shaft 2 (Fig. 7) may be the 100 kilowatte hour shaft extending into housing 3 and there connected by friction clutch 4 with shaft 5 mounted in bearings 6 in providing a drive from the meter to serve as a meter transmitter. Fixed on this shaft 5 is wheel having way 8 for a signal channel comprising tally disclosing tape means 9. This tape 9 may have its used or record forming portion wound on reel l0 as mounted on the bearing in the housing 3 (Fig. l) Torsion automatic recovery spring I2 normally effects return or self-rewinding of this tape 9 on this reel l0 as tension is slacked back therefor. This tape 9 has its terminal I3 fast with this reel I0 in thereby determining the limit of unwinding therefor. This tape 9 as to the reel I0 has passed in guide 8 of the wheel 1 (Fig. 7). This tape 9 is insulated or of non-conductor material, and passes over block I4 (Fig. 6) under conductor I5, having cross-over way |6 from exposed way portion I'I. This is from idler or guide pulley I8 (Fig. 1) in bracket I9 (Figs. 1, 5) in the housing 3. To this bracket I9 the tape 9 comes from reel 20. This reel 20 is in fixed ybearing 2| mounted with the frame or housing 3 and has connected thereto a rewind spiral spring 22 reverse from the spring I2 (Fig. 4). Reel 20 is for the unused supply of tape to return as a record of meter readings to the reel l0.

At central control or central station, there may be electric conductor lines 23, 24 (Fig. 8), for a predetermined high frequency, say 10,000 cycles. Switch 25 may be closed. This places this high frequency on lines 26, 21, of the normal power circuit, say volt, 60 cycle, or other power consumption circuit on which the meter may be located.

At the central or control station may be located record marking or disclosing means` 28 say of the teletype character providing a reporter. The closing of the switch 25 is thus effective for imposing on the power circuit a high frequency current independently of disturbing such power circuit. The power circuit is shown as having branches 29, 30, to various locations and accordingly to independent meters I, which as passing through the meter I may be as consumption lines 3|, 32, in service for operating motors, lighting, or other use purpose. This selective frequency is independent of the power circuit and includes control means rendered effective by cutting in of the switch 25 to connect line 3| by line 33 to terminal 34 at switch 35, thence by line 36 to coil 31, thence past condenser 38 and b-y lines 39, 40, back to the line 32. Closed switch 92 com.. plete the circuit for the switch device 25 to be operable on a call or dialing basis for operating under the code or counting system. Thereafter the switch 92 may be opened to cut in the teletype element 28. The coil 44 (Fig. 1) has two way armature. One may operate the counting or meter selecting device 4I through the pawl and ratchet. The other may operate or throw switch 35. The action of the armature for throwing the switch 35 is restricted by dash pot device 9|. When the coil 44 is energized for a relatively short period of time, the armature actuates the pawl to move the ratchet wheel, but does not throw the switch 35 due to the retarding action of the dash pot 9|. This means that short intervals of energization of the coil 44 are effective only for the meter selecting device 4I. A relatively longer energization throws the switch 35,

overcoming the resistance of the dash pot 9|. This throwing of the switch 35 by the sustained impulse is to follow after the desired meter has been selected by the short impulses. The switch 35 operable fro-m the disclosing means therefore serves as means responsive to the received code to energize the motor 58 at the meter selected and at that meter only, thereby connecting code sensing means to a signaling channel. This position of the switch 35 connects the line 32 over the line 48 to the motor 58 with the current supplied by the line 49 through contact as closed in the meter selecting device 4 I, thence over the line 48 by way of the thrown switch 35 to the terminal 41, the line 33 to the line 3|, in thereby completing the power circuit.

The motor 58 in housing 5| (Figs. 1, 2, 5) is mounted on arm 52 carried on rock shaft 53 mounted in bearings 54, 55, in this housing 3. Brackets 58 from the bearing 54 have upstanding springs 51 yieldably holding the arm 52 in medial upright position. The motor in the housing 5| has high speed shaft 58 protruding from one end of the housing 5i and slow speed shaft 59 protruding from the remote end of the housing 5|. This speed reduction operating the slow speed shaft 59 is effective through heliX or screw to wind clutch member 69 in complementary clutch 6| mounted in bearing 62 carried by arm 62 from the rock shaft 53 to be effective in rotating cam 63 at a relatively slow speed. This cam 63 thus acts on spring arm 64 against the action of the springs 51, tending to rock the housing 5| with the a-Xis shaft 53 in the bearings 54, 55.

In this operation the arm 52 (Fig. 1) abuts plunger 65 in bracket 66 and thrusts such against the resistance of spring 61 to hold roller 68 against teeth 89 in the wheel 1. There is thus provided meter control means selectively positioning the tape means at an appropriate register position. These teeth 89 form the track 8 for the tape 9. There is accordingly holding of this wheel against driving action of the clutch 4 at the instant the motor housing 5| is rocked to bring its shaft 58 with toothed friction pulley 18 into mesh with gear 1| on shaft 12 (Figs. 1, 2) mounted in bearings 13 from the housing 3. Fixed with this gear 1| is beveled gear 14, thus thrown into driving engagement from this gear 18 to drive beveled gear 15 on vertical shaft 16 having mounted thereon radial arm 11 terminally carrying contactor 18.

Insulation mounting 19 (Fig. 6) provides electrical insulation of -this contactor 18 from the shaft 16, thus connecting line 88 (Figs. 6, 8) with line 3| for completing circuit in by-passing the motor 58 and the device 4| as to one side. The conductor l5 has connection 82 to terminal 8| at the switch 35, thereby completing the circuit from the other side. Mounted on the shaft 16 is spiral torsion spring 83 which may be wound say for as many as three or more rotations, thus permitting the shaft 16 to make rotations and the yieldably thrown contactor 18 to travel in the tape 9 and transmit, clear of opening 18 for the teeth 69 due to holding registry of the roller 68, the code reading as totalized in the tape, say for 485 kilowatt hours, and likewise give meter identication through additional ordinal code reading 84 (Fig. 3) as disclosed by disk 85 in the transit range for the cycle of rotation travel of this contactor 18. Here is response effective means in this mechanism for meter identication and meter reading at the marking station to and from which the tape is handled by the tape feeding mechanism. In the event this be for more than one rotation, say up to three rotations, there may be thus code identification 84 repeated the three times and code notation 86 on the tape 9 likewise repeated three times, and such transmitted in the power circuit line back to the teletype device 28 for the station reading, at which instrument the teletype is means responsive to a received code and may be effective not only as a totalizer for the totalizing of the amount as in kilowatt hours but for computing the billing for the consumer of such in dollars and cents, or notation of the cost according to the monetary units adopted. Effective functioning is thus had of this code sensing means.

VThis reading in the interval of the rocking is a locking means of the cam 63 for the positioned tape means. However, it is not one discontinuing the operation of the motor 58, for as the cam 63 continues its course there is shifting away from the spring 64 and against opposite spring 81 (Fig. 1). A sequential control of this locking means of the cam 63 is from the motor` means 58. This allows the spring 61 to withdraw the roller 68 from the holdingposition as to the wheel 1 at once the reading or tally has been effected. Furthermore, in this rocking of the motor housing 5| on the arm 52, the rubber or friction gear 18 shifting away from the gear 1| is now in mesh with gear 88 (Figs. 1, 2, 5). This gear 88 is fast with the reel 28 and results in a recover winding of the supply of the tape 9 from the reel I8 so that such tape 9 is fed back about the released wheel 1 as permitted by the clutch 4 and through the way under the disk about the idler wheel |8 for full traverse back to rewind the used or unused record providing tape 9 on the reserve reel 28. As this recover operation is completed, any attempt of the motor 59 to wind further merely stalls this motor. The installation is thus in readiness for the used tape to be filed as a record upon removal from the reel I8 and a replenishing charge of unused tape 9 to be supplied on the reel ,|8, wound therefrom to the reel 28, thereafter for the controls to be effective in the feed device release and marking oprations. The recovery action of the tension spring 9| then pulls the switch 35 away from the armature of the now de-.energized coil 44. The dash pot 9| delays the pulling back of the switch 35 for the elapsing of a time interval. Then the switch 35 is finally snapped back into the position of starting (Fig. 8). This return position of the switch 35 opens the circuit for the motor 58 and closes the circuit for the coil 44, thereby placing the tuned or high frequency coil 31 again directly across the power lines 3|, 32 (Fig. 8) and in readiness for a subsequent meter selection program hereunder.

The motor 58, as thus idle, is caused by the spring 51 acting thereon to swing back to normal idle position and this with the automatic unclutching between the elements 68 and 6|. The gear18 is accordingly free from the gears 1|, 88, and the recover spring 83 has theretofore brought the contact 18 to position of rest at the clear region 89 (Fig. 3) on the disk 85. There is disconnecting of this tally disclosing unit away from the power elements and the equipment at the central station is in readiness for taking a selective other remote reading as may be in order. These readings may be taken in sequence or selectively under vthe dialing system as may be found appropriate.

For resetting the cam 83 in its normal mid idle position, torsion spring Si) is mounted on the bearing S2. In the operation of the arm to throw the switch 35, such has been described by the holding-in 0I" the switch 25. The period for time interval for this holding-in may in Ipractice be resisted by dash pot 9i. This means that the casual placing of the switch 2-5 may be a function for even dialing or counting location for selecting various meters in advance of the connection for having the reporting functions effective, when brought about by having the Switch 92 closed to permit this functioning independent of the teletype device 28.

From the foregoing, it is to be noted that in the disclosure hereunder the roll 68 as engaging the Wheels I between the teeth 69 locks such roller in position of rest for the functioning of the contacter 18 for the transmission of the code signal 86 incidental With the identification signal 84 for such meter. The locking of the wheel 1 so places the code 86 that the contactor 1B rides clear of the opening 'I8'. Accordingly, the openings I8 serve only as registrations for the teeth in insuring the progress of the tape 9. This locking of the Wheel l is against the functioning of the clutch 4. Therefore, at once the roller 68 releases the Wheel 'I the parts are in normal position for functioning in the recover and then again for the Winding operation.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A meter transmitter for a signalling channel comprising a tape means With a plurality of ordinal codes recorded thereon, meter controlled means selectively positioning said tape means, a 52.?

code sensing means, a locking means for locking said meter controlled means, motor means sequentially controlling the said locking means and the code sensing means respectively, means responsive to a received code energizing said motor means and connecting said code sensing means to a signalling channel.

2. A meter transmitter for a signalling channel comprising tape means with a plurality of ordinal codes recorded thereon, there being actuation connection from the transmitter tending normally to progress the tape means, meter controlled means selectively positioning said progressed tape means for code disclosure register, code sensing means, locking means for locking said meter controlled means, motor means sequentially controlling the said locking means and the code sensing means, respectively, and means responsive to a received code energizing said motor means and connecting said code sensing means to a signalling channel.

3. For electric current consuming circuit including an electric meter therein, a meter transmitter therefrom for a signalling channel comprising tape means with a plurality of ordinal codes recorded thereon, there being actuation connection from the transmitter tending normally to progress the tape means, meter controlled means selectively positioning said progressed tape means for code disclosure register, code sensing means, locking means for locking said meter controlled means, motor means sequentially controlling the said locking means and the code sensing means, respectively, and, imposable on said circuit, means responsive to a received code energizing said motor means and connecting said code sensing means to a signalling channel.

HAROLD M. KECKLEY. 

